Adenocarcinoma Cell Death after In Vitro Contact with Homeopathic Viscum album D30

Background: Adenocarcinomas can be of several types and SK-BR-3 is one human breast adenocarcinoma cell line that is useful as a preclinical model to screen for therapeutic agents such as homeopathic Viscum album, a European plant whose extract is commonly used in cancer therapy.

Aims: SK-BR-3 was used as a model to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of homeopathic Viscum album 1x10⁻³⁰ (VA D30).

Methodology: Cells of SK-BR-3 were cultured in 96-well plates for 24 hours in a controlled environment (37.5°C and 5% CO₂). VA D30 was then added to the culture medium in concentrations varying from 10 to 100 μL/mL for MTT assay (evaluation of viability of cells) and 10 to 30 μL/mL for counting of live cells. A control group was maintained with culture medium only. After 48 hours, cell viability and counting were performed.

Results and Discussion: MTT assay showed that the concentration of 38 μL/mL was capable of reducing cell viability to 50%, which means that half the cells cultured were dead after 48 hours in contact with VA D30. Live-cell counting demonstrated a similar result, with ~60% of cell death with the concentration of 30 μL/mL of VA D30 in adenocarcinoma cell culture. Viscum album is a plant extensively used against cancer and the possibility of using the homeopathic form of it brings new possibilities as no, or fewer, adverse effects would be present. The selection for that medicine occurred through the anatomopathological similitude for the cancer treatment.

Conclusion: VA D30 was capable of acting in adenocarcinoma cells, rendering a proportion of them non-viable in vitro. This is a relevant result that can be better explored also in vivo, using this medicine in the treatment of breast cancer.

Keywords: Cell viability, homeopathy, cell death, cancer

Publication History

Article published online:
30 January 2024